Skin acts as a natural barrier between the internal and the external environment and therefore plays an important role in vital biological functions such as protection against mechanical and chemical injury, micro-organisms, and ultraviolet damage. Skin, however, is delicate and is easily damaged. For example, the negative effects of extended exposure to sunlight are well-known; for example, prolonged exposure causes sunburns. When skin is exposed to UV light having a wavelength of from about 290 nm to about 400 nm, long term damage can lead to serious conditions such as skin cancer.
Sunscreens can be used to protect against UV damage but typical sunscreens do not provide protection against other types of injury. For instance, typical sunscreens do not effectively prevent or mitigate the damage caused to skin as a result of exposure to intense heat, e.g., fires, explosives, etc. Burns from heat can be prevented by clothing and materials that offer a considerable degree of thermal protection. Protective fire resistant fibers and fabrics or flame resistant treated clothing are critical for firefighters and warfighters that encounter explosives. However, because of ergonomic considerations select areas of the body including the face and the hands may not be covered during operations.
As described in more detail below, the inventors of the instant disclosure discovered compositions and methods that protect the skin from both thermal injury and UV damage. The components of the compositions interact to boost the SPF of the UV filters, provide water resistance, and impart thermal protective properties to the skin. Thus, the compositions are useful for a variety of cosmetic, protective, and combat applications.